GENUS 2. 



WHITLOW-WORT FAMILY. 



29 



2. ANYCHIASTRUM Small, Fl. SE. U. S. 400. 1903. 



Annual or perennial, diffusely spreading or prostrate herbs, the foliage finely pubescent 

 or glabrous, the stipules short or elongated, the small flowers in dichotomous cymes, with 

 bracts similar to the leaves. Flowers manifestly pedicelled. Sepals distinct or nearly so, 

 erect, cuspidate or abruptly tipped, not awned. Stamens mostly 5, borne at the base of the 

 ovary. Styles united nearly to the stigmas. Utricle nearly or quite enclosed by the calyx. 

 [Greek, star- Anychia.] 



Four known species, of the southeastern United 

 States. Type species: Anychiastrum riparium 

 (Chapm.) Small. 



i. Anychiastrurn montanum Small. Moun- 

 tain Anychiastrum. Fig. 1722. 



Anychiastrum montanum Small, Torreya 10 : 230. 

 1910. 



Annual or biennial, minutely pubescent. Stem 

 branched at the base, the branches spreading, 

 diffuse, 2'-8' long, slender, purplish; leaves spatu- 

 late to elliptic-spatulate, acuminate or acutish, 

 2"-5$" long; stipules silvery; calyx I" long in 

 fruit; sepals ovate to oblong-ovate, glabrous, 

 abruptly tipped, but not cuspidate. 



In dry soil, mountains of Pennsylvania to Georgia. 

 Aug.-Sept. 



3. ANYCHIA Michx. Fl. Bor. Am. 1:112. 1803. 



Annual herbs, with repeatedly forking stems, elliptic oval or oblanceolate opposite 

 mostly punctate very short-petioled leaves, small scarious stipules, and minute green apetal- 

 ous flowers. Calyx 5-parted, its segments oblong, concave, not awned. Stamens 2-5, inserted 

 on the base of the calyx; filaments filiform. Staminodia wanting. Ovary subglobose, com- 

 pressed; styles 2, distinct, or united at the base; ovule solitary, amphitropous. Utricle sub- 

 globose, somewhat compressed, longer than the calyx. [Derivation same as Paronychia.] 



Only the following species, natives of eastern North America. Type species : Anychia dicho- 

 toma Michx. 



Pubescent ; flowers sessile ; stems mostly prostrate or ascending. 

 Glabrous or nearly so ;' flowers pedicelled ; stems usually erect. 



1. A. polygonoides. 



2. A. canadensis. 



i. Anychia polygonoides Raf . Forked Chick- 

 weed. Fig. 1723 



Anychia polygonoides Raf. Atl. Journ. 16. 1832. 

 Anychia divaricata Raf. New Fl. N. A. 4: 42. 1836. 



Pubescent, stems mostly prostrate or ascending, 

 much forked, 3'-io' high, the internodes often 

 shorter than the leaves. Leaves narrowly elliptic, 

 2"-4" long, \"-\" wide, mucronate or acute at the 

 apex, sessile, or the base tapering into a very short 

 petiole, usually very numerous and crowded; flowers 

 sessile in the forks, more or less clustered, scarcely 

 \" high, inconspicuous except when fully expanded ; 

 stamens commonly 2 or 3, sometimes 5. 



In dry woods, thickets and in open places, Maine to 

 Minnesota, south to Florida, Alabama and Texas. As- 

 cends to 5200 ft. in Georgia. Illustrated in our first 

 edition as A. dichotoma Michx., but this proves to be 

 the same as the following species. June-Sept. 



